A New Police Chaplain, a New Obstacle for Fecera's

Wednesday night's borough council meeting was only about an hour long, but boy, they sure covered a lot of ground.

Among the first orders of business was the appointment of the Rev. Bishop Everett Debnam as the official chaplain for the Pottstown Police Department.

Here's the video of the swearing in.



As those of us who know him well might expect, you won't be surprised to learn, Bishop Debnam had a few words to say after his appointment.

We captured those as well:


The council also got a somewhat lengthy presentation from the Montgomery County Planning Commission regarding its sparkly new county-wide comprehensive plan.

Then we discovered collectively that although the folks working to re-develop the former Fecera's building on Beech Street have been working over-time to try to establish more off-street parking to address concerns of council the community, it still won't be enough.

Despite doubling the off-street parking provided for the project, the new zoning regulations adopted by council, now require even more.

As a result, the folks from Genesis Housing and Housing Visions will have to go to the zoning hearing board -- again -- for a variance.

And, having fought hard to get council's support for the tax credit that makes the project's finances work, they may now have to fight to convince council not to send a letter to the zoning hearing board opposing their application.

Councilman Dan Weand, whose ward extends down to the corner of Beech and Evans streets, said he wants council to oppose the application. Council President Stephen Toroney, who wavered in his support for the project initially, said the die has been cast and the project should be allowed to move forward without any more opposition.

We'll see what happens Monday.

Also, Pottstown School Board member Ron Williams told council that the school board will oppose any zoning variance sought by the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities to expand its office operation into the 1887 mansion that borders its facility on North Franklin Street.

In the meantime, here are the Tweets from the meeting: